Red Clay 2025: Shaping Womxn’s Health
We were thrilled to invite our community to join us for a rich month-long celebration dedicated to exploring the complexities of womxn’s health - including our trans sisters and non-binary friends - through art
The festivities launched with an Opening Party on International Women’s Day which featuring our signature Red Clay cocktail, the opportunity to connect with the talented artists and makers behind the exhibition and an evocative performance by Red Clay artist Christa Santos
That week we also launched our Red Clay workshop series with ‘Painting with Marcia Scott’ an uplifting workshop which explored the healing connection between creative expression and mental well-being
We also launched our weekly Online Reading Group series with a session discussing ‘Sick Woman Theory’ led by Red Clay artists Laura Jagger & Hayley Drolet
Reading links:
Sick Woman Theory, Johanna Hedva (2020)
The Body is not an Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor (2018)
Artists
Ania Ready Mary Sheehan Anya Birch Adrienne Hasani June Dent Christa Santos Teresa Paiva Pearl Lippin Zelga Miller Haley Drolet Marcia Scott Laura Jagger
Dates
6 March - 5 April 2025
Thursdays - Sundays
12 - 6pm
Free Entry - all welcome!
The following week we held a ‘Gentle Listening Session with Sarah Catterall and Margo Maas’ a collaborative workshop which sculpted a corner of OVADA with fabrics, found objects, music and light leaving behind a beautiful tent
And our Reading Group was led by Yasmeen Thantrey discussing ‘Endometriosis and Psycho-Social Wellbeing’
Artist info:
The Good Period
hot on the inside (zine)
Reading links:
The Master's Tools will Never Dismantle the Master's House, Audre Lorde (1979)
The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action*, Audre Lorde (1977)
Won't you celebrate with me, Lucille Clifton (1993)
Later in the month we had ‘Conceptual Portraits Session with Audrey Baldwin’ where we created a series of mixed-media exploratory portraits using collage, drawing and abstract mark-making
and our Reading Group session was led by Emma Thomas and focused on Menopause ‘The Pause’
Reading links:
Millenials are heading towards menopause and they are seriously anxious about it - Emma Thomas (2025)
Five women on the suprising upsides of perimeopause and menopause - Liz Connor (2024)
‘Not Your Mum’s Sex Ed with Haley Drolet’ a drop-in crafting session which offered education and resources with a focus on queer sexual health coincided with our final Reading Group session also led by Haley ‘Queer Creativity as Resistance’
Reading links:
Poetry is not a luxury - Audre Lorde (1985)
I want a president - Zoe Leonard (1992, 2018)
Finally we hosted ‘Recipes for Care with Mita Vaghela’ an open discussion surrounding food myths and health tips as we ate an easily digestible recipe using moong beans and other healthy ingrediants including turmeric and asafoetida
As an aside - OVADA was a stop on ‘The Social Good Walking Tour of Central Oxford’ led by Ab Brightman who welcomed several fantastic visitors (with excellent questions about Red Clay) into our space as a part of Marmalade Festival ⭐ www.abbrightman.com
Whether you're an art enthusiast, wellness advocate or simply curious—there was something for everyone at this year’s Red Clay! The encounters we had this month reminded us of the power of community